Showing Results in Charts Using Siebel Analytics Chart View

Use the chart view to position columns on a chart, and to customize the title, legend location, axis titles, data labels, size, and scale. You can select the chart graph, such as a line chart or a bar chart; the chart subtype, such as two-dimensional; and the style for columns, such as the shape and fill pattern. You can also set borders and colors, and control other chart characteristics. Results are drillable in the Chart view.

NOTE: Siebel Analytics uses a third-party charting engine. The type of the chart, its size, and the number of elements charted can affect whether axes or legends appear. This is constrained by the amount of available space on the Web browser page. Sometimes, by adjusting the width and height controls, it is possible to get undisplayed axes and legend values to appear.

Description of Siebel Analytics Chart Graphs

Table 16 shows the chart graphs available from the Graph drop-down list and describes their uses. Not all chart graphs are appropriate for all types of data. The default chart graph is a vertical bar chart.

Table 16. Siebel Analytics Chart Graph Selections

Chart Graph Type

Description

Area

An area graph is similar to a line graph, but with the areas under the lines filled in. Area graphs show the percentage of the whole that each variable comprises.

Area graphs are useful for observing changes in cumulative value or percentage over time; for example, by comparing groups on certain measurements such as outcome, and displaying group trends.

Horizontal Bar

A horizontal bar graph can be used to compare facts by showing bars in a horizontal direction.

Horizontal bar graphs are useful for comparing differences among like items; for example, competing product sales, same product sales over different time periods, or same product sales over different markets.

Bubble

A bubble graph is a variation of a scatter graph that displays data elements as circles (bubbles). It shows three variables in two dimensions. One value is represented by the location of the circle on the x-axis. Another value is represented by the location of the circle on the y-axis. The third value is represented by the relative size of its circle.

Bubble graphs are useful for plotting data with three variables, and for displaying financial data over a period of time.

TIP: To create a bubble graph, plot one variable on the x-axis, another variable on the y-axis, and a third variable on the bubble radius axis. You need to have at least one dimension column on the Level axis.

Vertical Bar

A vertical bar graph compares facts using vertical columns.

Vertical bar graphs are useful for comparing differences among like items.

Line

A line graph can be used to plot multiple facts.

Line graphs are useful for showing patterns and trends in data.

Line Bar Combo

A line bar combination graph plots two sets of data with different ranges, one set as bars, and one set as lines overlaid on the bars.

Line bar combination charts are useful for showing trend relationships between data sets.

TIP: You can specify any mix of bars and columns, but there must be one of each. Specifying all columns as lines works, but if you want only bars, use a bar chart. (When only bars are selected for this chart type, some column selections may be drawn as lines.)

Pareto

A pareto graph is a form of bar chart and line chart that displays criteria in descending order. In this graph type, the line shows a cumulative total of the percentages.

Pareto graphs are useful for identifying significant elements, such as best and worst or most and least.

Pie

A pie graph shows data sets as percentages of a whole.

Pie graphs are useful for comparing parts of a whole, such as sales by region or by district.

Radar

A radar graph plots the same information as a bar graph, but instead displays data radiating from the center of the graph. Each data element has its own value axis.

Radar graphs are useful for examining overlap and distribution.

Scatter

A scatter graph displays x-y values as discrete points, scattered within an x-y grid. It plots data points based on two independent variables. This allows you to plot large numbers of data points and observe the clustering of data points.

Scatter graphs are useful for observing relationships and trends in large data sets.

TIP: To create a scatter graph, plot one fact on the x-axis and plot another fact on the y-axis. These facts are plotted for selections on the Level axis.

Step

A step graph is used to plot and compare facts.

Step charts are useful for illustrating trends in data where values change discontinuously.

Your selection for the chart graph determines the chart subtypes that are available from the Type drop-down list. Not all chart types have subtypes; for example, bubble and radar graphs have no subtypes. Charts subtypes default to the 3D option, if available. Depending on the chart type selection, subtype options may include the following:

Area charts: 3D and 2D

Bar charts: 3D, 2D, 3D Stacked, and 2D Stacked

Line charts: 3D and 2D

Pareto charts: 3D and 2D

Pie charts: 3D and 2D

Scatter charts: Scatter, and Scatter with Lines

Your selection for the chart type also determines the styles that are available from the Style drop-down list. Not all chart types have styles. The style defaults to solid fill, if available. Depending on the chart type selection, styles for charts may include the following:

General Steps to Add or Modify a Siebel Analytics Chart View

The following procedure provides the basic steps to add or modify a chart view.

NOTE: If you select a chart graph that is incompatible with the results, no results are shown.

To add or modify a Siebel Analytics chart view

In Siebel Answers, create or modify the request with which you want to work, and then perform one of the following actions:

To add a new chart view, click the Results tab and choose Chart from the views drop-down list.

You can also add a chart view by clicking the Chart button at the compound layout view or at the Criteria tab.

To edit an existing chart view, click the Results tab, choose Compound Layout from the views drop-down list, and then click the Edit View button for the chart view.

The workspace shows the options and settings for the view.

Make your selections for the chart graph, subtype, and style.

Your selection for the graph type determines the available choices for the subtype and style. When no subtypes or styles are available, the drop-down lists become unavailable.

As you make selections from the drop-down lists, the chart view changes to reflect your selections.

To add a column to the chart, click it in the selection pane, or add it at the Criteria tab.

To delete a column from the chart, click the Criteria tab and click the Delete button for the column.

Use the buttons at the top of the chart view page to specify additional chart settings.

To see the effects of your changes, click the Redraw button.

You can click the Redraw button at any time to refresh the chart view.

To remove changes and start from the original chart, click the Clear button.

To resize the chart, use the vertical and horizontal slide bars.

When you are done, you can save the request with the chart view.

Specifying General Chart Properties in Siebel Analytics Chart View

You can set general properties for the chart, such as a title and whether data labels appear. You can also set the chart size as a percentage of the available space.

Data labels are enabled by default for selected 2D chart types. Data labels have no effect on charts like 3D bar and column.

The default for chart size is to scale all elements of the existing chart, including height and width, to fit the available space. The chart's height and width remain proportional to each other when the size of the chart changes. The chart automatically resizes chart elements based on the space available within the chart.

NOTE: The chart can expand significantly if the number of items being charted grows substantially.

For example, suppose you create a request to display the sales of three products, create a chart of the results with the product sales shown as three columns, and size the chart to occupy about 25 percent of the page. If the report is run later and six products are returned, the chart is expanded to twice its original width, or about 50 percent of the page, so that the widths of the individual columns in the chart remain constant.

The chart elements are resized as needed to fit into the chart. Using the preceding example, the chart continues to occupy about 25 percent of the page, and the columns are resized to fit in the available space.

To set general properties for a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The General dialog box appears.

Make your selections and click OK.

The chart view refreshes. The chart may resize to accommodate your selections.

Controlling the Display of Grid Lines in Siebel Analytics Chart View

You can control whether grid lines display on the chart, and specify grid line colors.

To control the display of grid lines on a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Grid Lines dialog box appears.

Make your selections and click OK.

The chart view refreshes.

Specifying the Location of the Legend in Siebel Analytics Chart View

You can specify the location of the legend, and set options for resizing the legend.

To specify the location of the legend on a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Legend dialog box appears.

Make your selections and click OK.

The chart view refreshes. The chart may resize to accommodate your selections.

You can specify the color for the chart background, text, and borders.

To specify background, text, and border colors on a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Borders and Colors dialog box appears.

Make your selections and click OK.

The chart view refreshes.

Selecting the Columns to Display as Axes in Siebel Analytics Chart View

The column area on the left side of the chart view shows the columns that are included in the request. You can select the columns to display as the different axes in the chart. You can also indicate whether measure labels appear for factual data plotted on an axis.

The available axes can change depending on the type of chart selected from the Graph drop-down list. The chart axis buttons used in chart view are described in Table 18.

Table 18. Chart Axis Buttons Used in Siebel Analytics Chart View

Chart Axis Button

Axis

Level axis (for scatter and bubble graphs)

Horizontal axis

Vertical axis (for a radar graph, this is the fact axis)

Legend axis

Overlay axis

Radius axis

Pie Values axis (for a radar graph, this is the radar axis)

To select the columns to display as the axes on a Siebel Analytics chart view

In the columns area to the left of the chart, click the appropriate check box for one of the axis buttons to display that column as the corresponding axis in the chart.

The axis buttons change depending on the type of graph selected from the Graph drop-down list.

To add a column to the chart, click it in the selection pane, and then set it as an axis.

This is equivalent to adding the column to the request at the Criteria tab.

To display the unit of measure on an axis, click the appropriate check box.

Click Redraw to refresh the chart view.

Setting Axis Scaling Options in Siebel Analytics Chart View

You can control axis limits, tick marks and scale type, and the properties of scale markers.

To specify axis scaling options for a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Axis Scaling dialog box appears.

Make your selections and click OK.

For charts with numeric axes, the settings of the axis scaling options determine how the scale is selected:

When you select Default, the system chooses the scale and sets the axis to zero (0) for positive numbers.

When you select Zoom to Data Range, the system chooses the scale. It evaluates the range of values on the axis, and chooses appropriate minimum and maximum values for the scale. This is useful when charting a set of large values that are all within a small percentage of each other. The chart zooms in on the values so differences are more easily distinguished.

You can also manually set the axis scaling values to specific numbers.

The chart view refreshes. The chart may resize to accommodate your selections.

Editing Scale Markers in Siebel Analytics Chart View

Scale markers are accenting lines or shaded background ranges that mark key points, thresholds, ranges, and so on. The lines or ranges are can be applied on one or more axes depending upon the type of chart.

NOTE: Some chart types do not use scale markers, such as pie charts.

The following procedure provides the general steps to edit a scale marker.

To edit scale markers for a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Axis Scaling dialog box appears.

Click the following button:

Edit Scale Markers

The Scale Markers Table Editor dialog box appears.

Click the Add button to add the first scale marker and make your selections for the marker.

Advanced options include setting the scale to a static value, a particular column name, or as the result of an SQL query. For more information about the types of scale markers and using the advanced options, see the procedures that follow this one.

Click OK successively to close the dialog boxes.

The chart view refreshes. The chart may resize to accommodate your selections.

To create a line scale marker

Select Line from the Type drop-down list.

Enter a line width in the third column.

Enter the position for the line in the fourth column.

Enter the color for the line.

Enter a caption for the line.

The caption appears when a user pauses the mouse over the line in the chart.

To create a range scale marker

Select Range from the Type drop-down list.

Enter the low end of the range in the third column.

Enter the high value of the range in the fourth column.

Enter the color for the range.

Enter a caption for the range.

Using Advanced Settings for Range and Line Values

Options for these values include a static value, a value sourced from a column included in the request, or one derived from a SQL query.

To specify an advanced setting

Next to the field, click the Properties button.

Select one of the options and enter appropriate values.

Click OK when you are done.

Specifying Axis Titles and Labels in Siebel Analytics Chart View

You can control whether axis titles and data labels display at the bottom of the chart and to the left of the chart.

NOTE: Adjusting the size of a chart can affect how the axis labels appear.

To specify an axis title on a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Axis Titles and Labels dialog box appears.

Make your selections and click OK.

The chart view refreshes.

Specifying What Happens When a User Clicks a Chart in Siebel Analytics

When a user views the chart, you can specify the type of interaction to occur if the user clicks the chart. The following are the types of interactions for a chart:

Drill. Allows the user to drill down to more detailed information. This is the default interaction.

Navigate. Allows the user to navigate to another saved request, dashboard, or Web site.

None. Disables drilldown or navigation from the chart.

To specify the user interaction with a Siebel Analytics chart view

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Interaction dialog box appears.

Make your selection for the interaction.

If you want users to navigate to a Web site, type the full path into the Navigate text box.

Click OK.

Formatting the Visual Appearance of Chart Series

Chart series formatting allows users to customize individual series based on its position. Users can format the visual appearance of chart series such as color, line width, and line symbols.

For example, on a line bar combination chart with two data series, assume that the bar is position 1 and the line is position 2. Users can change the color of the bar, the width of the line, and the symbol representing the data points. Users can also apply rule-based formatting, such as applying a certain color when a position of the series is equal to a specified value.

To format the appearance of chart series

Click the following button at the top of the chart view page:

The Series Format Control dialog box appears. The available choices depend upon the chart type. For example:

To customize a series, deselect the Use Default check box.

To restore a series to its default settings, reselect the Use Default check box.

To add a new format series control, click the Add button. Even if the current chart does not use this series, it will be used if it is needed (such as for drilling).

To return all series to their default values, click the Clear All button.